12 Ways to Bug Your Teacher

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From showing up late to texting during class, there are dozens of fun ways to get under your teacher’s skin
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It's challenging, but not impossible, to annoy teachers without getting in trouble. The key to this process is knowing the limits of your teacher’s patience. At first, your annoying behavior will slightly grate on them, but gradually, they will tolerate your behavior less. When you sense that your teacher is reaching their limit, take a break from your antics for a few days to avoid getting in trouble. We’ve made a list of all the best ways to push your teacher’s buttons—without getting busted. Keep reading for inspiration!

Things You Should Know

  • Annoy your teacher by intentionally “forgetting” the materials you need for class or bringing the wrong textbook.
  • Disrupt the class by texting during class or falling asleep at your desk.
  • Irritate your teacher by going overboard with “positive” behavior, like tattling on other students or seeking your teacher’s approval for every little thing.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Being Intentionally Forgetful

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  1. Writing instruments, like pencils and pens, are basic necessities in the classroom—you’ll likely need to use a pen or pencil at some point throughout the school day. When you forget to bring a pen or pencil to class, you can’t participate in the activities your teacher assigns. Every time you forget a pen or pencil, your teacher will have to lend you a pencil or reluctantly be okay with the fact that you’re not doing your work—both options are highly annoying!
    • To avoid consequences , bring your own pencil to class a few days out of the week.
    • Five to ten minutes after everyone else has started working, let your teacher discover that you don’t have a pencil. Your teacher will be frustrated that you didn’t think to ask for a pencil sooner.
    • Ask your teacher for multiple pencils in one day. [1]
  2. Some teachers require students to bring a specific folder, notebook, or book to class every day. Instead of bringing these items to class, intentionally leave them at home or in your locker. When you repeatedly show up to class without the required reading or the course packet, your teacher will become irritated by your frequent forgetfulness.
    • To avoid punishment, only do this one or two times a week.
    • If you leave these items in your locker, your teacher may reluctantly allow you to go and get them.
    • Before you try this, read through your classroom and/or school policy. Forgetting to bring your materials to class may result in consequences.
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  3. Teachers set deadlines for your benefit and theirs. [2] Due dates teach students to plan ahead and manage their time; teachers often set deadlines to correspond with the days they have time to grade papers, tests, and assignments. When you turn in your work late, you disrupt your teacher’s grading schedule.
    • Be selective about the assignments you turn in late—you still need to maintain a passing grade. Tests, exams, and final projects are usually worth the most points and should not be skipped. Choose to skip a few assignments that are worth very few points.
    • Turn in your assignments one to two days after the due date.
    • If you hand the assignment to your teacher, ask them when they will have it graded and in the books. Continue to ask them until they have graded it.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Being Subtly Disruptive to the Class

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  1. Teachers expect students to arrive to class on time and ready to learn. When you arrive after the bell, your tardiness may disrupt the teacher’s routine and/or distract your classmates. [3] Increase your teacher’s frustration by:
    • Talking to other students on the way to your seat.
    • Asking, “Did I miss anything important?”
    • Saying, “We don’t do anything in the first five minutes anyways.”
    • Asking to use the restroom as soon as you sit down.
    • Don’t come to class late every day. You will quickly surpass the number of tardies allowed at your school.
  2. Teachers establish specific bathroom procedures to prevent students from leaving class at inappropriate times. Blatantly ignoring their restroom rules is a great way to get under their skin.
    • Limit the number of times you do this to avoid repercussions.
    • Ask to use the restroom immediately after class begins or right before the bell rings.
    • Ask to use the bathroom in the middle of a lesson.
    • Ask to use the restroom while your teacher is giving instructions. [4]
  3. Pencil sharpeners make loud, irritating noises—it is really difficult for students to hear a teacher over the deafening noise of the pencil sharpener. Annoy your teacher (and a few of your classmates) by sharpening your pencil while your instructor is talking.
    • Take your time sharpening the pencil. Pull it out of the pencil sharpener frequently to check its level of sharpness.
    • Before returning to your seat, accidentally “break” the pencil so that you have to sharpen it again. [5]
  4. Teachers put a lot of time into each lesson so that the content is exciting and accessible to students. Instead of appreciating the effort they put into planning the lesson, you can annoy your teacher by choosing to not to participate in the lesson.
    • Doodle in a notebook instead of taking notes.
    • Surf the internet on your tablet or laptop.
    • Put your head down on your desk and pretend to sleep.
    • Talk to your classmates while your teacher is talking.
    • Play on your phone during the lesson.
    • Look at the clock constantly.
    • Cover a smaller book with your textbook and read it.
    • Pack up your belongings before the bell rings.
    • If your teacher tells you to cut it out, don’t continue with this behavior. You may get in trouble. [6]
  5. Teachers tend to get annoyed with students who frequently draw attention to themselves. Rather than acting calm, cool, and collected, exaggerate your emotional response to the extreme.
    • When your teacher asks you a question, raise your hand and act extremely eager to answer the question—wave your hand in the air and jump up and down in your seat to get their attention.
    • If you get an answer wrong, don’t just roll your eyes and sigh. Instead, exclaim something very unoriginal like “Unbelievable!” or “Oh my gosh!” [7]
  6. Teachers try their best to keep their students on task and focused. [8] You can thwart their efforts, and annoy them in the process, with tangents and/or harmless pranks.
    • When the teacher asks if the class has any questions, raise your hand to offer a comment. Once called on, tell a long, drawn-out, unrelated story.
    • When the teacher calls your name during roll, yell out, "Absent."
    • Waste your teacher’s time by moving objects they use every day, such as whiteboard markers, remotes, and staplers.
    • When you write on the board in front of the room, take a long time to write each letter.
    • Say the teacher's name out loud for no reason and then say, "Never mind."
    • If your teacher starts to get suspicious, take a few weeks off from the prank.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Annoying Your Teacher With “Positive” Behavior

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  1. While students may view tattling as a helpful, and perhaps even necessary behavior, teachers do not want to spend their day refereeing every minor dispute. Teachers appreciate students who can handle their own problems and stay out of other people’s business. However, they often won’t punish students for coming to them with petty problems.
    • Draw your teacher’s attention to minor problems throughout the school day. Tell them when someone isn’t doing their work, sharing, or being kind.
    • Be careful, because this could get you in trouble with your peers. Snitching and tattling is seen as an unwritten social rule not to do, and if you snitch you could have your reputation ruined. [9]
  2. Teacher’s pets are often well mannered, high-performing students. Instead of blatantly acting out, you can annoy your teacher by constantly seeking their attention and approval. You can suck up to your teacher by:
    • Asking for help even when you clearly understand a concept
    • Following your teacher around the room
    • Showing your teacher completed assignments to gain their approval [10]
  3. Be an excellent student with little drive. There is nothing more frustrating to a teacher than a brilliant student who refuses to put adequate effort into an assignment. If your class work comes easily to you, breeze through the assignment and turn it in quickly. When you take a test over the material, turn in a perfect evaluation.
    • Don't breeze through assignments if you will receive a low grade. If you are capable of doing the work, try your best to complete the assignment quickly, but correctly. [11]
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  • Question
    How can I sneak a soda into school?
    Community Answer
    Keep your soda in an opaque water bottle so the teacher can't see the color of the soda and the bubbles. If your school only allows clear water bottles, you can still sneak in flavored water.
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    Not Helpful 166 Helpful 981
  • Question
    How do you annoy a teacher who doesn't teach you but has punished you?
    Community Answer
    Instead of ignoring this teacher, you could take up a lot of their time. Follow them around the hallways or ask them pointless questions constantly.
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      Tips

      • Don’t overdo it—after a while, you may get in trouble.
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      • Remember, there’s a difference between being annoying and being unkind or cruel. Have fun messing with your teacher, but don’t do anything you think might make them really upset.
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      • Make sure not to go overboard with it. Your classmates might think you are weird and/or annoying.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • When the teacher calls your name when they take attendance, pretend to be picking a pen or pencil up off the floor and shout "I'm down here!" This can also make everyone laugh.
      • Say random things when the teacher is not looking, then stop and act normal when they turn around. This can make them annoyed because they won't know who is making trouble.
      • Remember that teachers are people too, and they've been in your shoes before. Try to keep the situation in perspective and know when enough is enough.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.fanpop.com/clubs/random/articles/56936/title/101-ways-annoy-teacher
      2. ↑ https://www.academictips.org/acad/beastudent.html
      3. ↑ https://www.academictips.org/acad/beastudent.html
      4. ↑ https://www.fanpop.com/clubs/random/articles/56936/title/101-ways-annoy-teacher
      5. ↑ https://www.fanpop.com/clubs/random/articles/56936/title/101-ways-annoy-teacher
      6. ↑ https://www.fanpop.com/clubs/random/articles/56936/title/101-ways-annoy-teacher
      7. ↑ https://www.fanpop.com/clubs/random/articles/56936/title/101-ways-annoy-teacher
      8. ↑ https://www.theclassroom.com/ways-respect-teacher-8546672.html
      9. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/999914?seq=1
      1. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/999914?seq=1
      2. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/999914?seq=1

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      While annoying your teacher is an easy way to get sent to the principal’s office, you can do it without getting in trouble by being disruptive in small ways. For example, ask your teacher to borrow a pen or pencil frequently. Make sure to bring a pencil to class a few days out of the week so your teacher never knows when you’ll ask. When you do have a pencil, get up and sharpen it as much as possible, since pencil sharpeners can be really loud. Another small way to bug your teacher is to ask to use the restroom at inconvenient times, like in the middle of a lesson. If you want to be extra annoying, get to class slightly late and once you sit down, ask to use the restroom. For more tips, like how to annoy your teacher with positive behavior, read on!

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